Sparrows is a subtle coming of age story focusing on a teenager entering adulthood, but all your works -shorts and your first film Volcano- deal with characters' transformation as they reach a crossword in their life. Where does your fascination for that subject come from?
RR: yes I tend to focus on teenagers or late adults. These are different crossroads in life. For older generations, there is a dramatic weight that comes with that time of life whereas with the younger generation, it’s about entering the grey zone of adulthood. The loss of innocence and having to cope with the world around us is something that more or less everyone experiences. 

In Sparrows the main character Ari has a wonderful relationship with his grand-mother and just like Volcano, family dynamics are spread across three generations. The sense of intergenerational support and relationship must be even stronger in a small community like Iceland...
RR: Yes I hadn’t thought about this until now. But of course there are small communities in Iceland and women’s liberation started early here. Kids often go to their grandparents after school and tend to seek their company and vice versa. It’s a beautiful opportunity to have different generations close together in terms of transmission of knowledge as well.

How did you find the main actor Atli Oskar Fjalarsson who gives a remarkable performance?
RR: It’s the second time that I work with him. He was in my short film Two Birds [nominated for a Palme d’or in Cannes 2008]. Then he was just a kid, but since then he has acted in quite a few films and TV series. One of the crucial parts of filmmaking is to find the right actor and I always pay a lot of attention to casting for all the roles.

Was it the first time you collaborated with former Sigur Rós keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson?
RR: No we started collaborating on my short film The Last Farm [2005 Oscar nominated]. We are good friends and understand each other very well. Here the novelty is that the original music forms an intricate part of the drama. 

You seem to work with the same team including DOP Sophia Olsson…
RR: Yes I enjoy working with the same people with whom we’ve built experience together.
We know the answers to our questions without even speaking and we believe in the same things.

I do an extreme preparation before shooting. Togethe with the team, we create a storyboard and integrate at the same time set dressing, sound design, all this while I continue to write. We use digital still cameras, edit while we proceed, re-write if necessary. We have a guideline on how to approach the film and the visual narrative. If there are unexpected problems that come up, we always find quick solutions because we are well prepared. 

What’s next for you?
RR: I’m being quite productive on the writing but haven’t yet decided which project I will choose. 

Do you envisage directing someone else’s script?
RR: I never say never. I am being offered some scripts, but I need to fall in love with a story, especially as working on a film is a long term commitment.

Sparrows was produced by Nimbus Film in Denmark and its Icelandic outpost that you run. Why did you agree to take on that responsibility?
RR: I’ve always been a hands-on director. I am aware of financial aspects and I’ve produced shorts and documentaries before. A few years ago I was approached by Nimbus Film and we founded together Nimbus Iceland. I’m very happy with our collaboration.